This invention relates to tools used for performing surgeries, such as arthroscopic or orthopedic procedures, more particularly, a cannulated flexible drive shaft having a plurality of interlocking sections, preferably locked together by multi-angled dovetails, along the shaft that allow a distal end to be flexible while withstanding the torque from being rotated clockwise or counterclockwise thereby preventing the dovetails from separating and failing.
The limitations on maneuverability imposed by arthroscopic surgery mean that conventional straight drive shafts are not well suited for such procedures. Therefore, various arthroscopic surgical procedures utilize flexible drive shafts to drill into bone, ream bone, punch holes into bone, push anchors or screws into bone, tap anchors or screws into bone, screw anchors or screws into bone and securing sutures to bone, tendons and so forth. Conventional flexible drive shafts have a helical coil located along the entire drive shaft or along a portion of the distal end of the drive shaft. The helical coil allows a user to pass the drive shaft through a bent guide. However, depending on the orientation of a helical design, the coils will tighten together when turned clockwise and separate or pull apart when turned counterclockwise or vice versa for drive shafts having a helical design with an opposite orientation. Therefore, currently a surgeon needs two flexible drive shafts. One that will transmit torque in a clockwise direction and one that will transmit torque in a counter-clockwise direction.
Therefore, a need exists for a cannulated flexible drive shaft that will transmit torque in a clockwise direction as well as a counterclockwise direction without the drive shaft being pulled apart.
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